1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a computer network server, and relates more particularly to a system and method for automatically detecting accessible services on an inside computer network, and providing access to the detected accessible services from an outside computer network.
2. Description of the Background Art
Due, at least in part, to the increasing popularity of the Internet and the ability to share information or network services between computers, it is frequently desirable to provide access to certain network services on an inside network, such as a building wiring network, to a computer on an outside network, such as the Internet. In one common configuration, multiple computers are coupled to an inside network, which is separated from or interfaced with the outside network by a gateway device. Generally, a gateway device acts an entrance from one network to another. Typically, gateway devices are employed to interface an inside network and an outside network, such as the Internet.
For example, it is desirable, in some instances, to configure one or more computers on an inside network as web servers. Despite the advantages of having web server services or other network services available on an inside network, it is often cumbersome to make these inside network services visible, or otherwise available, over the outside network. Indeed, the initial set up of such a system can be cumbersome and time consuming, particularly for novice users. Additionally, in circumstances where network services are frequently added to or removed from the inside network, this set up must also be updated frequently. Hence, significant difficulties exist in permitting the services of a plurality of inside network devices to be visible and accessible from outside computers on the outside network. At least part of this difficulty stems from determining which computers or other devices are present on the inside network and what services are available on these devices.
An additional difficulty relates to permitting computer users outside the inside network to access the various network services available on the inside network. That is, once the network services available on the inside network are detected, these services need to be accessible by computers over the outside network.
Therefore, an improved system and method are needed to provide quick and easy access to an inside network, such as a building computer network from computers on an outside computer network, such as the Internet to provide access to the available inside network services. An additional need exists to provide a system and method by which a gateway device can automatically detect the network services available on the inside network. Yet another need exists to provide a system and method by which the network services available on the inside network may be accessed by outside network computers.